Professional Certificate in Modified Foreign Language Instruction (MFLI) for Students with Language Learning Disabilities

Foreign language instructors at the middle school, high school and post-secondary levels often find that they must teach students with learning disabilities or other disabilities that make it difficult to learn a foreign language. This can be a challenge in an inclusive setting. Yet, many of these students prefer to take a foreign language because they are aware of the increasing need in the state and national workforce for residents who speak a second language. Research indicates that these students can learn a foreign language, provided that they are instructed with teaching methods that address their unique learning needs. A number of pedagogical methods have been developed that can be used to teach a foreign language to these students in the inclusive context of the classroom, during tutoring, or in an alternative curricular offering.

This certificate program provides the opportunity for foreign language instructors and special education personnel in middle and high schools and post-secondary institutions to gain the knowledge and skills to modify foreign language instruction for students with disabilities as well as develop and administer a program of modified foreign language instruction within an interdisciplinary setting. This certificate is appropriate for individuals with a BA in a foreign language, linguistics or comparative languages or a graduate degree in special education, speech-language pathology or its equivalent. It is offered as a hybrid of on-campus and on-line courses.

Application Procedures:

Application for the MFLI certificate program will include an application, letter of intent, one official transcript from each school attended, and one letter of recommendation which must be written by a former faculty/member/instructor or supervisor from your educational setting. Please send all materials to the Graduate Certificate Program in MFLI, Dept. of SLHS, UCB 409, Boulder, CO 80309-0409. Attn: Jean Bouchard.

Requirements for admission include:

• GPA of 2.8 or higher
• Education – completion of one option below:
• BA in a foreign language, linguistics or comparative languages
• MA in Special Education, Speech-Language Pathology or its equivalent

Required courses for the Professional Certificate in MFLI:

SLHS 5120: Foreign Language Learning by Students with Language Learning Disabilities (3) Offered Summer Semester in a Summer On-Campus intensive, followed by one week of on-line lectures. This course offering is pending minimum enrollment*.

SLHS 5130: Curricular Accommodation and Alternative Programs for Students with Foreign Language Learning Disabilities: Design and Implementation (3) Offered Fall Semester pending minimum enrollment*.

SLHS 5140: Accommodated Foreign Language Instructional Interventions for Students with Language Learning Disabilities (3). Offered Spring Semester pending minimum enrollment*.

*The Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences will require a minimum enrollment of ten students in each course or the course will be cancelled.

An official acceptance letter from the program is required prior to registering for courses through Continuing Education. Each graduate credit costs $250.

Deadline for Summer 2009 admission is June 1, 2009.

Application Instructions

Application Form

Request for Recommendation